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PROCEEDINGS 

OF THE 

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NEW-YORK 



7 

OCTOBER, 1853. 



RUINS OF TENAMPUA, 

HONDURAS, CENTRAL AMERICA. 

The following letter, from Hon. E. G. Squier, giving an account of some 
remarkable ruins discovered by him in the State of Honduras, Central Ame- 
rica, was communicated to the Society by Prof. W. W. Turner, of Wash- 
ington. 

CoMAYAGUA, HONDURAS, Juno 18, 1853. 
My Deae Sik : 

Honduras, as its name implies, is a region of high 
mountains and deep valleys. But although this is its gen- 
eral aspect, its surface is relieved by a number of large 
plains of surpassing beauty. One of the finest of these, and 
constituting perhaps the most remarkable natural feature of 
the State, is the great plain of Comayagua — so called from 
the capital city of the same name — situated in the very centre 
of the State, midway between the two oceans. It is upwards 
of thirty miles long, and from ten to fifteen wide. This is 
exclusive of the lateral or dependent valleys of the streams 
which flow into this natural basin. It is in this basin that 
the Ilumuya, with its hundred sources, takes its origin. 
Flowing due northward, ■ at a distance of about twenty-five 



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2 EUINS OF TENAMPFA. 

or thirty miles, it unites with the Sulaco, and forms the great 
navigable river Ulua, falling into the Bay of Honduras. 
The greatest extent of the plain is from north to south, and 
at its southern extremity, where the great range of the Cor- 
dilleras is wholly interrupted, side by side and interlocking 
with those of the Humuya, are the head waters of the river 
Goascoran, running due south into the Gulf of Fonseca. 

The plain is surrounded by mountains five or six thousand 
feet high, and consequently enjoys a climate cool, equable, 
and salubrious, comparing in respect of temperature with the 
Middle States of our Union, during the month of June. The 
average temperature for the year is about T7° Fah. The hills 
and mountains adjacent to the plain are covered with pines, 
which in this latitude have their range at something less than 
two thousand feet above the sea. Wheat and other products 
of the temperate zone also flourish among the hills, and on the 
" mesas " or terraces of the mountains. The productions of 
the plain, however, are essentially tropical. Its soil is ex- 
ceedingly fertile — in fact, the valley offers all the conditions 
for attracting and sustaining a large population. 

We might therefore expect to find here the traces of a con- 
siderable aboriginal population. But, up to this time, I be- 
lieve, the world has had no intimation of the existence of any 
such remains. They nevertheless exist, and hardly a step 
can be taken, in any direction, without encountering some 
of them, of greater or less interest. Those in the plain j)roper 
are, however, much injured and defaced. Honduras was 
X3eopled contemporaneously with Mexico, and Comayagua is 
one of its oldest towns ; and it is well known that the Span- 
ish conquerors and bigots, so far from endeavoring to preserve 
the monuments of the aborigines, strove rather to deface and 
destroy them, as a means of weaning the Indians from their 
primitive rites, and causing them to forget their traditions 
and customs. 

The names of the principal towns in the valley, neverthe- 
less, indicate that they were anciently Indian towns. Indeed, 
in some of them the predominating portion of the population 



KUINS OF TENAMPUA. 3 

is still unmixed Indian. Lamani, Tambla, Yarumela, Aju- 
terique, Lajamini, and Cururu, are all Indian names. There 
are also many Indian towns which have been entirely aban- 
doned, as the population of the country has decreased, and of 
which the traces are now scarcely visible. 

The principal ruins, strictly aboriginal and of ancient ar- 
chitecture, are in the vicinity of Yarumela, Lajamini, and 
near the mined town of Cururu. They consist of large pyra- 
midal, terraced structures, often faced with stones, conical 
mounds of earth, and walls of stone. In these, and in their 
vicinity, are found carvings in stone, and painted vases of 
great beauty. 

The principal monuments, however, retaining distinctly 
their primitive forms, can hardly be said to be in the plain 
of Comayagua. They are found in the lateral valleys, or on 
the adjacent tables ("mesas") of the mountains. Of this 
descrijDtion are the ruins of Calamulla, on the road to the 
Indian mountain town of Guajiquero ; of Jamalteca, in the 
little valley of the same name ; of Maniani, in the valley of 
Espino ; of Guasistagua, near the little village of the same 
name ; of Chapuluca, in the neighborhood of Opoteca ; and 
of Chapulistagua, in a large valley back of the mountains of 
Comayagua. I have visited all of these, but in many respects 
the most interesting, and by far the most extensive, are those 
of Tenampua. 

The ruins of Tenampua are popularly called "Pueblo 
Yiejo," Old Town. They are situated on the level summit 
of a high hill, almost deserving the name of mountain, about 
twenty miles to the southeast of this city, near the insig- 
nificant village of Lo-de-Flores, by the side of the road 
leading to the city of Tegucigalpa. The summit of the hill 
is a plain or savannah, covered with scattered pines, and 
elevated about sixteen hundred feet above the plain of Coma- 
yagua, of which, in every part, a magnificent view is com- 
manded. The hill is composed of the prevailing soft, white, 
stratified sandstone of this region, and its sides, except at 
three points, are either absolutely precipitous, or so steep as 



4: KUINS OF TENAMPUA. 

to be nearly if riot quite inaccessible. At the accessible 
points, where narrow ridges connect the hill with the other 
hills of the group, are heavy artificial walls of rough stones, 
varying in height from six to fifteen feet, and in width, at 
the base, from ten to twenty-five feet. These walls are ter- 
raced on the inner side, for convenience of defence. At va- 
rious points there are traces of towers, or buildings designed 
perhaps for the use of guards or sentinels. The dimensions 
of the wall correspond to the greater or less abruptness of the 
slope along which it is carried, and are greatest where the 
ascent or approach is easiest. Where narrow gullies or nat- 
ural passes existed, the hollows have been filled with stones, 
so as to present a vertical outer face, corresponding to the 
rocky escarpment of the hill. [Naturally, I think this place 
is the strongest position I have ever seen. That it was se- 
lected, in part at least, for defence, is obvious. Under any 
system of warfare practised by the aborigines, it must have 
been impregnable. The defensive design is made still more 
apparent by the existence, in the centre of the area of the 
summit, at a place naturally low and marshy, of two large 
square excavations, now partially filled up, which were clearly 
designed for reservoirs. 

But the most interesting features of Tenampua are not its 
ruined walls and defences. The level summit of the hill is 
about one and a half miles long, by half a mile in average 
width. The eastern half of this large area is crowded with 
ruins. They consist chiefiy of terraced mounds of stone, or 
of earth faced with stone, of regular rectangular forms, their 
sides conforming to the cardinal points. Although the stones 
are uncut, they are laid with great precision. Most of the 
small mounds, which occur in groups, and are arranged with 
obvious design in respect to each other, are from twenty to 
thirty feet square, and from four to eight feet in height. 
There are none of less than two, but most have three or four 
stages. Besides these there are a considerable number of 
large pyramidal structures, varying from sixty to one hun- 
dred and twenty feet in length, of proportionate width, and 



KUmS OF TENAMPUA. 5 

of different heights. These are also terraced, and generally 
have ruins of steps on their western sides. There are also 
several rectangular enclosures of stone, and a number of plat- 
forms and terraced slopes. 

The principal enclosure is situated in the very midst of the 
ruins, at a point conspicuous from every portion of the hill. 
It is three hundred feet long by one hundred and eighty feet 
broad. The wall is fourteen feet broad, but now elevated 
only a few feet above the ground. It seems to have consisted 
of an outer and inner wall, each about two feet thick, between 
which earth had been filled to the depth of two feet. Trans- 
verse walls then appear to have been built at regular inter- 
vals, dividing it into rectangular areas, resembling the found- 
ations of houses. It is not improbable they were surmounted 
by structures of wood, devoted to the use of the priests or 
guardians of the great temple — in the same manner that, 
according to the chroniclers, " the cloisters of the priests and 
attendants" surrounded the court of the great temple of 
Mexico. The line of the wall is only interrupted by the 
gateway or entrance, which is on the western side, between 
two oblong terraced mounds, in which the ends of the wall 
terminate. To preserve the symmetry of the enclosure, the 
opposite or eastern wall has in its centre a large mound, also 
terraced and regular in form, equalling in size both those at 
the entrance. 

Within the enclosures are two large mounds, the relative 
positions and sizes of which can only be explained by a plan. 
The largest has three stages and a flight of steps on its west- 
ern side. From its southwest angle a line of large stones, 
sunk in the ground, is carried to the southern wall. The 
north line of this mound coincides with one drawn from east 
to west, through the centre of the enclosure. Between it 
and the gateway is a square of stones, sunk in the ground, 
which may mark the site of some edifice. The second pyra- 
mid is situated in the northeast corner of the enclosure ; it has 
the same number of stages with the larger one just described, 
mid like that, has a flight of steps on its western side. 



6 EUmS OP TENAMPUA. 

At the extreme southeast corner of the hill is another en- 
closure similar to this, except that it is square, and has open- 
ings in the centre of each side. It also contains two terraced 
mounds, ascended by steps. Between the great enclosure, 
or central structure, and the precipice which faces the hill 
on the south, is a depression or small valley. This is terraced 
upon both sides, the terraces being faced with stone, ascended 
by various flights of stone steps. The principal mound be- 
yond this dei3ression is situated upon the edge of the preci- 
pice, due south of the great mound in the principal enclosure. 
It commands a view of the entire southern half of the plain 
of Comayagua, and fires lighted upon it would be visible to 
all the inhabitants below. I could not resist the conviction 
that its position had been determined by this circumstance. 

There are many other striking features in these ruins, of 
which no adequate idea can be conveyed except from plans, 
and which therefore I shall not attempt to describe. The 
most singular, perhaps, consists of two long parallel mounds, 
each one hundred and forty feet in length, thirty-six feet 
broad at the base, and ten feet high in the centre. The inner 
sides of each, facing each other, appear to have consisted of 
three terraces, rising like the seats of an amphitheatre. The 
lower terraces are forty feet apart, and faced with huge flat 
stones,';set upright in the ground, so as to present an even 
front. The outer sides of these mounds have an appear- 
ance corresponding with that of the walls of the great enclo- 
sure, and each seems to have been the site of three large 
buildings. The whole rests on a terrace three hundred and 
sixty feet long. Exactly in a line with the centre of the space 
between, these parallels, and distant twenty-four paces, are 
two large stones placed side by side, with an opening of about 
one foot between them. Fronting these to the northward, 
and distant one hundred and twenty paces, is a large mound 
occupying a corresponding relative position in respect to the 
parallels, aud having a flight of steps on its southern side. 
Upon these mounds, as indeed upon many of the others, are 
standing large pine trees, upwards of two feet in diameter. 



EUINS OF TENAMPUA. 



Without attempting to define tlie special purposes of these 
parallels, it seems to me probable that they had a correspond- 
ing design with the parallel walls found by Mr. Stephens at 
Chichen-Itza and Uxmal, in Yucatan. Doubtless games, 
processions, or other civic or religious rites or ceremonies, 
took place between them, in the presence of priests or digni- 
taries who were seated upon the terraces on either hand. 

The form of the various mounds at Tenampua precludes 
the idea that they were used as the foundations of dwellino-s. 
It seems quite clear that they were either altars or sites of 
temples — counterparts of those of Guatemala, Yucatan, and 
Mexico, and of a large portion of those found in the Missis- 
sippi Yalley, — with all of which they accurately coincide in 
the principles of their construction. I was able to excavate 
but one, situated in the vicinity of the great temple. Tlie 
mass of the mound, after pentrating the stone facing, was* 
found to be simple earth. But the interior of the upper ter- 
race was composed almost entirely of burnt matter, ashes, 
and fragments of pottery. Great quantities of these frag- 
ments were discovered, and I was able to recover enough of 
some vessels to make out their shape, and the paintings and 
ornaments upon them. Some were flat, like pans; others 
had been vases of various forms. All were elaborately painted 
with simple ornaments or mythological figures. One small, 
gourd-shaped vase, of rude workmanship, I recovered nearly 
entire. It was filled with a dark-colored, indurated matter, 
which it was impossible to remove. Fragments of obsidian 
knives were also found. 

ITear the western extremity of the summit of the hill are 
two deep holes with perpendicular sides, sunk into the rock. 
They are about twenty feet square and twelve feet deep. 
Although now partially filled with earth, a passage is to be 
discovered at the bottom of each, leading ofi" to the north. 
These passages seem to have been about three feet high, by 
nearly the same width. Plow far they may go, or whither 
they lead, is unknown. The water which flows into them 
during rains finds a ready outlet. I am unprepared to de- 




KUINS OF TENAMPUA. Q 0^5 340 352 



cide whether these openings are natural or artificial, but 
incline to the opinion that they are natural, with perhaps 
artificial improvements or adaptations. A ruined pyramid 
stands near the principal mouth. The tradition concerning 
them is that they were dug by the " antiguos," and lead to 
the ruins of Chapulistagua, beyond the mountains of Coma- 
yagua, and were designed to afford an easy means of flight 
in case of danger. 

Altogether there are here the remains of between three 
and four hundred terraced, truncated pyramids of various 
sizes, besides the singular enclosures, etc., which I have 
mentioned. 

The whole place, as I have already intimated, probably 
served both for religious and defensive purposes. This union 
of purposes was far from uncommon among the semi-civilized 
families of this continent. You will see in my work on the 
Monuments of the Mississippi Yalley many instances in which 
structures strictly religious occur within works clearly defen- 
sive. It was within the area, and on the steps and terraces 
of the great temple of Mexico, that the Aztecs made their 
final and most determined stand against the arms of Cortez. 
It is not to be supposed, however, that this was a fortified 
town, or a place permanently occupied by any considerable 
population. The summit of the hill is rocky, and the soil 
thin and poor, affording few of the usual accessories of a large 
Indian population, abundant water and rich lands. The 
builders doubtless had their permanent residences in the 
plain below, and only came here to perform religious or se- 
pulchral rites, or to find safety in times of danger. 

I must not forget to mention that the paintings on the 
vases found at Tenampua are identical with those of Palen- 
que and Yucatan. Some of them are exact counterparts of 
figures found in the Dresden MS. 

I am, Sir, etc., etc., 

E. G. SQUIEE. 

To Peof. W. W. Tuenek. 



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